Power converters mounted on electric vehicles, hybrid automobiles, and so forth are provided with electronic components such as power modules, condensers, and so forth. There has been a problem in that the size of a housing of the power converter is increased due to the size and/or shape of each of these components.
A power module disclosed in JP2006-109576A includes switching devices, rectifying devices (diodes), and conductors, such as bus bars etc., for connecting these components. In order to address the above-described problem, for example, JP2006-109576A discloses an inverter device in which: first and second wiring layers of each arm are respectively formed on insulating substrates; one side of the switching device is fixed to the first wiring layer; electrical connection between the second wiring layer and the other side of the switching device is achieved by a plate-shaped conductor; the plate-shaped conductor has first and second connecting portions; the first connecting portion of the plate conductor is fixed to the other side of the switching device; and the second connecting portion of the plate conductor is fixed to the second wiring layer.